China's summer box office earnings had surpassed more than 8.5 billion yuan (around 1.184 billion U.S. dollars) as of 16:32 on Sunday, with a film about the Nanjing Massacre leading the charts, according to data from Lighthouse Professional Edition, a box office tracker.
To mark the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, a series of films have been released or are scheduled to premiere soon, commemorating history and honoring the spirit of resistance.
Since its debut on July 25, "Dead to Rights," which portrays Japanese atrocities during World War II, has dominated the daily box office charts and amassed over 2.1 billion yuan (about 292 million U.S. dollars) in ticket sales.
"Dongji Rescue," released on Friday, tells the story of Chinese fishermen who defied gunfire to rescue over 300 British captives from the Japanese ship Lisbon Maru in 1942. It has grossed over 180 million yuan (approximately 25.06 million U.S. dollars) to date.
Coming next is "Mountains and Rivers Bearing Witness," a documentary that chronicles China's resistance against Japanese aggression from 1931 to 1945, set for release on August 15 -- the anniversary of Japan's announcement of unconditional surrender.
On September 18, a film titled "731" will premiere, examining the horrific World War II-era human experiments conducted by Japan's notorious germ warfare unit 731.
Apart from the war-themed dramas, animated films and comedies have also drawn large audiences during the summer holiday season.
China's summer movie season runs from June 1 to Aug. 31.
China's summer box office tops 8.5 bln yuan, Nanjing Massacre film taking lead
